I can't think of a good argument opposing the inclusion of 'individualist anarchism' - occurred recently. Nevertheless, it got me thinking - what is our policy for inclusion/exclusion? I don't want the list to explode, and there are certainly many more schools which would 'fit', but not necessarily be a good idea to include.

Before even touching Ron Paul and some of the newer additions to the 'people' section, is there a source somewhere on Calvin Coolidge, career politician, US vp, US president -- self-identifying as a libertarian? Did some of his contemporaries call him a libertarian or consider him part of the libertarian movement? If so, had any of them addressed the paradoxical nature of being an anti-state head of state? How about an anti-capitalist laissez faire capitalist -- considering the idea of calling 'free market capitalism' libertarian was about a century apart from his year of birth? Finx (talk) 16:41, 21 January 2013 (UTC)

Nearly 30% of this template's code is for things like overriding the default width and colouring. The pale yellow currently used in the title bars is not particularly associated with the subject, and the width override means that this template doesn't stack in a flush manner with most other {{sidebar}}s and {{infobox}}es. In the absence of a practical reason to override the defaults, they should be used so as to not distract readers or cause potential colour clashes. Chris Cunningham (user:thumperward) (talk) 11:17, 13 March 2013 (UTC)

I find myself agreeing with elements of each of the above comments. I'd like comment in more detail later. I hope that any exchanges here will at least clarify. Consilience would be a bonus. --Thomasmeeks (talk) 13:24, 13 March 2013 (UTC)

You can have any styling you like, CarolM, so long as it's... CsDix (talk) 14:45, 13 March 2013 (UTC)

Someone else on Libertarianism first brought this to my attention, FYI.

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ The capacity to override something does not imply the obligation to override it. There should always be a well-rationalised argument for doing so. Looking at the examples you've provided, while they all override the default styling in one way or another, it's instructivetonote that they've converged on the default styling over time. That's a process which will inevitably continue. Chris Cunningham (user:thumperward) (talk) 15:01, 13 March 2013 (UTC)

Perhaps I'm looking at the wrong versions, but the examples you give still seem some distance from the current default settings (despite some efforts to default them). This process, if there is (or should be) one, will only continue so long as enough people don't mind it doing so. CsDix (talk) 15:47, 13 March 2013 (UTC)

So if I wanted to spruce it up a little I could use one of those as a template and put in the relevant info and then the tech problems would be solved? Or could such changes be suggested here and someone better at tech make them? I can ask for suggestions at the Wikiproject or article and see if someone there knows how to do it. CarolMooreDC 15:10, 13 March 2013 (UTC)

It's trivial to re-add small amounts of customisation after the fact. Feel free to drop by my talk if you ever need help with it. In general, the less overrides there are, the easier it is to see exactly what each does. Chris Cunningham (user:thumperward) (talk) 15:28, 13 March 2013 (UTC)

I'm not really knowledgeable enough to fully participate here, but to me it seems that driving a design based on an "avoid overrides" consideration is the tail wagging the dog. Sincerely, North8000 (talk) 15:51, 13 March 2013 (UTC)

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ I've put up a suggested compromise at Template:Libertarianism sidebar/sandbox. This uses a bolder yellow which is easier to distinguish from the background and uses the more compact format (see the test cases page for a side-by-side comparison; when fully expanded, the new version is nearly 50% shorter). Chris Cunningham (user:thumperward) (talk) 10:52, 14 March 2013 (UTC)

Well, the background after the gold Libertarianism link in the sidebar is pale gold, not pale yellow.

Per well-made earlier points, any sidebar formatting that at least preserves the current look of the sidebar but simplifies formatting would be a net improvement. Most might agree with such a "remove unnecessary style overrides" Edit.

1. Provides a consistent look and navigation system for related articles (though not between different topics — there is no single format across all navigation templates). (Italics added.)

So, the guideline itself should be where discussion begins, not avoiding override of the default option. Otherwise, the "compromise" may compromise or vastly complicate even preserving advantages of any non-default sidebar, much less improving it.

For another recent example of how well (or not) the "remove unnecessary style overrides" rationale works, see here, before and after. --Thomasmeeks (talk) 16:47, 14 March 2013 (UTC)

I'm happy to alter the colour of the headers if there's a better alternative. It's not obvious that there is one particular hue that we would agree represents libertarianism. My interpretation of the "no single format" remark is that it pertains to the parts of the sidebar system that can't be standardised, such as the number and positioning of links and the way that information is presented within the {{sidebar}} framework, rather than referring to arbitrary styling of the content within that framework. It's also worth noting that the text in question is very nearly eight years old, and thus predates the meta-template system entirely (this is back when we created templates by hand-writing HTML, and there was no standardisation whatsoever). It's maybe worth revising the text itself to reflect current best practice. Chris Cunningham (user:thumperward) (talk) 10:04, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

Let's build more of a consensus before we start screwing with sidebar stylizations. Until somebody comes up with something better, just leave the color scheme the way it is instead of dispensing with it altogether. --Adam9389 (talk) 16:50, 14 May 2013 (UTC)

links should clearly be identifiable as links to readers.
Refrain from implementing colored links that may impede user ability to distinguish links from regular text, or color links for purely aesthetic reasons. See the guides to editing articles for accessibility at contrast and navbox colors.

I will go ahead and switch it back for you. Frietjes (talk) 00:30, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

In what way does the color scheme impede users from distinguishing links from regular text? It's no different than what they do (and have been doing) with the sidebars for Liberalism, Socialism, Green politics, etc. (But something tells me you're not going to nail those ones, though.) Have there been affected users raising concerns about this? --Adam9389 (talk) 18:16, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

unnecessarily colouring links impedes the ability of a user to distinguish between linked and plain text. let me know if you see any other politics sidebars that are violating this policy. Frietjes (talk) 16:58, 16 May 2013 (UTC)

Ayn Rand should probably be removed, given that she denounced all self-described libertarianism[edit]

All kinds of people today call themselves “libertarians,” especially something calling itself the New Right, which consists of hippies who are anarchists instead of leftist collectivists (sic); but anarchists are collectivists. Capitalism is the one system that requires absolute objective law, yet libertarians combine capitalism and anarchism. That’s worse than anything the New Left has proposed. It’s a mockery of philosophy and ideology. They sling slogans and try to ride on two bandwagons. They want to be hippies, but don’t want to preach collectivism because those jobs are already taken. But anarchism is a logical outgrowth of the anti-intellectual side of collectivism. I could deal with a Marxist with a greater chance of reaching some kind of understanding, and with much greater respect. Anarchists are the scum of the intellectual world of the Left, which has given them up. So the Right picks up another leftist discard. That’s the libertarian movement.

I would disagree on three levels, I oversimplify/overstate just to make the point:

She was probably speaking of the common meaning of the time, not the major new meaning / strand which she was influential in creating

She helped create a major current meaning/strand, and thus is relevant

If a movement considers her influential to it, she is relevant to it, regardless.

Fair enough. I don't know much about her, just throwing it out there. Finx (talk) 13:59, 16 May 2013 (UTC)

Disagree. We can argue in circles forever on the semantics, but the fact is Ayn Rand has had an indisputable influence on the libertarian movement, including being one of the primary fountainheads (no pun intended) of the free-market, individualist faction of libertarianism. Countless sources (both Objectivist and not) refer to her and her political philosophy as libertarian. She herself may have disavowed the term, but then again, half the people on our list of influentials either predated or simply did not use the word "libertarian." --Adam9389 (talk) 16:24, 18 May 2013 (UTC)

I see your point. Reading through it again, I guess she acknowledged the influence herself, even though she bitterly denounced the ideology. Finx (talk) 07:52, 28 May 2013 (UTC)

Looks like she was talking about libertarians and the libertarian movement, not libertarianism. – S. Rich (talk) 14:28, 28 May 2013 (UTC)

She was denouncing neoliberal libertarianism as an ideology, because she saw it as co-opting the language and rhetoric of anarchism -- which it was, on the most superficial level. She thought that was disgraceful and unworthy of her ideas, because she despised leftists and anarchists particularly. Also, she was a hardcore 'statist' by her own description -- believed in a very strong and forceful 'big government' to maintain the capitalist order she wanted. There's more quotes on that page I linked to. Finx (talk) 17:40, 28 May 2013 (UTC)

Stephan Kinsella seems a bit obscure to be included in a list of Libertarian people. Is there any evidence that he matters at all to the Libertarian school of thought? I am removing him per wp:BRD. Bonewah (talk) 19:08, 18 July 2013 (UTC)

As it stood before my edition this sidebar was mostly biased towards right wing libertarianism or as we outside of the US call it, towards economic liberalism or neoliberalism. The libertarianism sidebar has to go in agreement with the main wikipedia libertarianism article and not with the particular taste of a single user who onbly comes to edit here. That or else the users who want to keep out of this template things like libertarian socialism and libertarian marxism are free to propose instead a "right libertarianism" sidebar or a "Libertarianism according to the US libertarian Party" sidebar.--Eduen (talk) 06:32, 4 September 2013 (UTC)

Eduen, could you please be more specific about what's wrong? I ask because I see libertarian socialism and libertarian Marxism on the sidebar, as well as anti-statism, counter-economics, agorism, mutualism, Bakunin, Bookchin, Chomsky, de Cleyre, etc. Do you want something added to the sidebar? Or do you just not like right-libertarian ideas displayed at all? -- MisterDub (talk | contribs) 14:48, 4 September 2013 (UTC)

Left or right, i think that Stephen Kinsella is too obscure to be included in the list, per my objection above. Bonewah (talk) 15:29, 4 September 2013 (UTC)

I see not reason for the removal of the file:Torch.svg from the sidebar as it is a common symbol of identification for Libertarianism. The majority of political sidebars have an identifying graphic. Strangely enough, if I remember correctly, the image was added to the "Liberalism" page at the same time as it was removed from the Libertarianism sidebar. If the inclusion of this logo in the Libertarianism sidebar is contested, please discuss here. --St.HocusPocus (talk) 02:17, 11 April 2016 (UTC)

Hi St.HocusPocus, the only way for the torch to be used is if someone provides sources proving that it is representative of both left and right Libertarianism, otherwise it needs to go. -- Somedifferentstuff (talk) 08:51, 11 April 2016 (UTC)

In searching Google images for "libertarianism" I did not find the torch. As it is connected with the Statue of Liberty, it has American connotations. Unless we can come up with some RS that connects the particular torch to libertarianism in general, I suggest leaving off of the sidebar. – S. Rich (talk) 23:13, 11 April 2016 (UTC)

You realize the Statue of Liberty is a copy of an identical statue in France, and was given to America by the French? And that the anthropomorphic personification of Liberty predates both of them, and is not exclusively or even originally American (e.g. Liberty Leading the People, Liberty (goddess)). This crusade to abolish the torch from this page (without any suggestion that another image would be better; just the abolition of this image for its own sake because it's sooo terrible) smacks misinformed anti-Americanism. The Human Rights sidebar had a similar fight earlier, but at least that editor was pushing an alternative, albeit a terrible one (the "International Human Rights logo", the winner of some proprietary contest to come up with such a logo). --Pfhorrest (talk) 00:38, 12 April 2016 (UTC)

Pfhorrest, unless you produce a reliable source clearly stating that a random picture of a torch is representative of all variants of Libertarianism (not just the U.S. Libertarian Party), then this is a clear violation of WP:OR and will be removed. -- Somedifferentstuff (talk) 02:17, 12 April 2016 (UTC)

I, anti-American? Hardly. The Statue_of_Liberty#Construction_in_France is not a copy, but is real and only McCoy. That said, we do not have any RS which links the torch image to libertarianism, let alone to the American Libertarian Party. – S. Rich (talk) 02:33, 12 April 2016 (UTC)

I agree with S. Rich: "we do not have any RS which links the torch image to libertarianism" --- See: WP:Verify --- I've gone ahead and removed the image per this discussion. -- Somedifferentstuff (talk) 18:41, 28 July 2016 (UTC)